Victim Advocate I/II - District Attorney's Office (Open and Promotional)

County of San Mateo•Redwood City, CA

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The County of San Mateo District Attorney's office is seeking passionate individuals to join their Victim Services Division. This division assists victims of crimes and their families in dealing with the financial and emotional aftermath of crime. The role involves providing mandatory and optional services, assessing and coordinating victim needs, informing and supporting victims throughout the criminal justice process, assisting with restitution requests, and performing public presentations on victim-related topics. The Victim Advocate I is an entry-level position with close supervision, offering on-the-job and state-mandated training. Incumbents can advance to Victim Advocate II, an advanced journey-level classification, after gaining experience and meeting qualifications. Victim Advocate II requires completion of state-mandated courses and three years of victim advocacy experience.

Requirements

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with a major in social welfare, behavioral science, or a related field.
Two years of experience in providing community services of an emergency, remedial, and/or educational nature to victimized and/or disadvantaged individuals (for Victim Advocate I).
Three years of experience as a victim/witness advocate in the District Attorney's Office (for Victim Advocate II).
Possession of a class C California driver license or equivalent.
Criminal law, sentencing structure and restitution.
Victim's rights, crisis intervention techniques and trauma informed care principles.
Mandated reporting laws and confidentiality laws.
Basic principles and practices of case management.
Write clear, concise, and comprehensive case notes and reports.
Maintain accurate statistical data records.

Nice To Haves

Speak, read, and write fluently in Spanish.

Responsibilities

Provide all mandatory and optional services per CA PC 13835.5, including assessing and coordinating the needs of crime victim/witnesses.
Inform, update, and support victims/witnesses throughout the criminal justice process.
Assist victims/witnesses with requesting criminal restitution.
Provide public presentations to a variety of audiences on victim related topics.
Respond to inquiries and requests from victims and witnesses of crime.
Conduct interviews with victims and witnesses of crime to assess needs and promptly take appropriate action.
Provide crisis intervention, follow-up counseling, and emotional support.
Arrange for emergency assistance.
Refer victims to counseling resources and other support groups.
Provide assistance to victims applying for victim compensation.
Provide information about the criminal justice processes.
Provide information to victims about the status or disposition of the criminal case in which they are involved.
Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with prosecuting attorneys, law enforcement, and other community-based agencies.
Provide court accompaniment and assist victims in the preparation of victim impact statements.
Provide assistance with the submission of documents for restitution and provide information regarding collecting restitution.
Maintain accurate daily statistics of activities and services.
Prepare correspondence and other reports as required.
Provide informational presentations to criminal justice agencies, victim services organizations, and the public on victim related topics.
May be called to respond in the field in the event of a community crisis.
Perform other duties as assigned.